Ian,
Please look at my post later on in this thread about La Costa, and how I noted the difference between a Senior Tour player and the 0-8's in the Mid Am Qualifying. There is still a big drop off between those two levels, and I am sure, a big rise from senior tour back to the main tour.
Of course, both you and I are using small sample sizes to make our points, which is both invalid and/but still better than a dozen posts here that use TV golf as their starting point. BTW, I watched the Web.com tour last night, because its on my course in Omaha. That is one of the nicer clubs in town, but the maintenance levels (which they probably don't tweak much for the tourney) don't look all that pristine, nor do the bunkers. That simply struck me as an example of the "next from the top" level that most courses have, even if they desire the ANGC look.
But, no one disagrees that players want easier lies and perfect bunkers are at least a bit more simple. That brings us right back to your philosophical question, are they "too perfect"?
In the end, whether a few on gca.com disagree or not, it does seem that the paying customer is willing to pay for ever more perfection in bunkers for both look and playability. I have to think that it is both an ongoing natural progression, much like equipment improvements, and mostly human nature.
I doubt a few merry musketeers will change it, and for the most part, am willing to accept the Majority Rules idea. Of course, the great thing about golf is that courses all vary, and there is no one answer, so we really don't have to narrow down to a single philosophy (even if we could).
As consulting architects, we just have to answer if the bunkers are the right fit for that particular client. This discussion at least helps form the debate, although I suspect you would get a blank look at many places to suggest the old CBM idea of running the cavalry through the bunkers!
And, as someone suggested, maybe the root of the problem is outside the bunker itself - vestiges of a once in a lifetime economy, which inflated golf expectations beyond long term sustainability, and perhaps the move from match play to stroke play. Change either of those mentalities, and you might get bunkers reconsidered, too.